The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1887-11-09
SCIENTIFIC NOTES.

SCIENTIFIC NOTES.
To make a strong cement mix some finely
powdered rice with cold water, so as to form
a soft paste. Add boiling water, and finally
boil the mixture in q pan for one or two
minutes.
The coating of rubber umbrella or Cos.
samer cloak or coat may be mended by ap-
plying preparation of damar varnish and
asphaltum with little turpentine in about
equal quantities.
The pruning of vines has been investigated
by Il. Mueller, who finds that the proper
the young shoots should be cut, as their de-
yelopment requires much sugar.
The strength of shaft or bars of iron is,
for bending and twisting strains as The
cubes of their diameter. Thus, two-ipch
shaTt ID eight times as strong as a one-inch
shaft, while three-inch shaft is twenty
seven times as strong.
The latest cure for consumption is that adj
Academic de Medicine, which consists in the
inhalation of iluohydric acid. The patient
retnains for an hour daily in cabinet Of six
cubic metres capacity, the air OF which is
In New Orleans, where the soil is water
get over the difficulty OF putting telegraph
and telephone wires under the ground by
erecting strong towers / 5 0 feet high at inter
walls, and braclng them together with cables
of steel-wire rope. These cables support the
cross-arns, etc, to which the telegraph and
telephone wires are attached, and the wires
are securely carried above the public streets.
The towers are also utilized for fire-extln-
gushing purposes, as stand-pipe, with noz-
2les at different elevations, lS fitted to each
tower.
According to Fire ana Water the soda-water
m III t,ot 1F n
neat and efficient extinguisher of fire. Some
days ago vessel filed with varnish was
accidentally set on fire in the cellar of a
LOUISVILLE drug store, and 1t blazed up
as high as the second floor. Before, however,
the flames could gain headYay in the build
ing the heat had melted the lead pipe con-
nected with the newly charged soda foun-
tain and the flames were Instantly extin-
guished.
The interesting statement is made in the
last, municipal report of the corporation Of
Chelsea, near London, that, contrary to
what has generally been assumed in the re-
lations Of occupation and health, the sewer
men OF that place show marvellous health aud
vitality, Notwithstanding they spend seven
hours daily In the sewers, often in cramped-
up 3ositions, dealing with offensive and dan
gerous matter. One of the sewermen, who
is now pensioned Off, is eighty-siX years old,
and was a sewerman for more than twenty
eight years; another who is yet at work is
seyenty-four, and has followed his occupa-
ton more than thirty years.
Prof, Rarsten, German electrician, has
devised q telephone siren" which consists
OF disk capable OF being rapidly revolyed.
On the face OF the diska number OF bar mag
retsare fastened radially. and near them is
the diaphragm or plate removed. When the
disk is revolyed the rapid passage Of the
magnets in front OF the magnet coil OF the
telephone induces currents in the coil, and
these are heard as amusical note in Q second
The note heard depends on the arrangement
Of the magnet poles on the disk, the number
of vibrations per revolution equaIing the
number of poles. if the latter are all Of one
n name q. i to say all north a. or III
S.. OF north and south poles alternately, the
number Of vibrations per revolution is
halved, and so Or. BY combining the siren
With an thermometer it Is possible to tell the
strength of the wind by the note heard in
the lephone.-CassettsssH agazife.
Experiments with the new seR-exciting
Dandeu and Chertemps. show some interest
ing results. A wooden board is pierced with
holes, in which are solidly fixed six coils, and
!s liked on a support. and through a hole in
nerpendicular to the board are two groups of
three horseshoe magnets, with coils similar
to those In the board, and making 1900
reS-olutions per minute. 1t is on the fixed
board that The currents are. collected by an
arrangement which allows of grouping them
IN as many currents as there are cylinders,
less one, the electricity of this later cylinder
not being used for the exterior work, but
serving to excite the moving electr o.magnets.
The machine !s rcpresented as consuming a
motor force Of only four horse-pow while
supplying tenTabloehkoff eandies in normal
way. Tie special merit OF this apparatus,
according to the description, consists in the
suppression Of the induction currents, which
are produced in the heart of the iron pieces
facing each other in other generators.
Electrical ReUietc.
The Now York Medical Times has a good
word for alcohol, which it considers the
prince OF antiseJ,tics and the most reliable
medicine in diphtheria. Continuing. the
writer Bays: Diluted with equal parts of
water, and given in small and repeated
dofGs, the indignant symptoms OF this most
EQJe with what facility the alcohol dis
solves thu diphtheritic oxidation in the
sshroaF, lowers the temperature and Gains
the The p1iss' showing its destructive action
have been absorbed by the glands and
has been used by lis in the treatment Of diph-
liberia since 1873, during which time no
ccaSe CT the dlsease has slipped through our
hands except in one solitary instance, and
that Gaze was in dyticui0 morris before the
remedy. was siSen. The remedy is also pro
phVIaCElc TO the disease, az we have found in
n!any instances where il had not been expe-
dlent to. duarantine the patient. For this
ptlfnose 1t IS only necessary for exposed per-
SONS TO Use TIE, remedy, diluted as above
stated, as q gGrg.e, and to swallow little Of
1t three or fonr times day.
Prof. Iyndall, in a letter IN lightning con-
dnctors, points out that the abolition Of re-
sistAnce is absolutely necessary in connecting
a lightning, conductor with the earth, and
THIS Is done by closely Embedding in the earth
2 plate OF good conducting material and of
large area. Tho lrgcness of area makes
atonement for the imperfect conductivity of
earth, The plate, in fact, constitutes wide
door e, through which, thc, electricity passes
damaging effects being thereby avoided.
common way Of dealing with lightning
conduciors adopted by ignorant practition-
ers Is, DR.. Iypdau remarks, to carry the
wire rope, which forms, part of the
conductor down the wall and into the earth
below, where il ends without any terminal
plate: Such a protection" is mockery, a
dension and a snare. Some years ago q rock
lighthouse on the Irish coast was struck BY
lghtaaiIns, when he found by the engineers
report that the lightning conductor had been
carried. down the lighthouse tower, its lower
tsorated &c, receive it. II the object had been
% invite the lightning to strike the tower a
iieges, have been adopted. lie vetoed the
proposal to employ chain as prolongation
0i the conductor, as the contact OF LINK with
Link Is never perfect
A paper BY Alfred 81. Cowles is soon to be
Issued by the United Staten Naval Institute
On aluminium bronze for heavy guns. whicI
VIII be discussed at meeting Of tie institute.
at Annapolis, on Oct. II. Mr.. Cowiea
ASSERTS that by either the hodnan OF
Eea1se process OF, casting guns can be
made OF Tits alloy that viii have a
ity than the finest quality OF mid steel forg.
lngs: that it would be impossible to burst q
gun oast from this alloy With foul